The History of Syddan:

Gaelic Football has been played in the parish of Syddan since the advent of the G.A.A. in the 1880’s. The Club, one of the best supported in Meath, won its first county title in 1927 when it captured the junior championship. The club then moved up to Senior ranks and won the FEIS cup in 1932. A new club came into being around 1935/36. It was mainly a Newtown outfit but drew some players from the Lobinstown end as well. In 1940 the club reached the Intermediate final – a game Syddan lost, but the club bounced back quickly and captured the title the following season.

A Junior team was set up in Lobinstown during World War 2, but around 1945 the two clubs joined to form the present club St. Marys of Syddan and Lobinstown.

At this time Syddan had great success at juvenile level. They won county championships in 1939, ’40 and ’46. The unification of the 2 clubs sparked off a golden era in Syddan football. After reaching the Senior championship final in 1948 (losing to Skryne), they won their first senior title in 1949 (also the year of Meath’s first All-Ireland Success) and repeated the feat in 1951, ’52 and ’56.

In 1953 the club presented the Keegan cup to the county board in honour of the late Tom Keegan who was killed playing for Syddan in 1940. To this day, the cup represents Senior success for any club lucky enough to get their hands on it.

The glory days of the 40’s and 50’s soon became distant memories and the club reverted to Intermediate status in the ‘60’s to rebuild a new team. Of it’s own accord the club moved back to the Senior ranks in 1970, and held their own for a few years. In the early part of that decade Syddan had a good run in underage football – reaching the county finals in 1973 and 1974, losing narrowly to Skryne on each occasion. Young players coming through from these teams saw an upturn in the late 70’s but outright success eluded them. Defeat in two finals (again by Skryne) was followed by a heavy defeat in the Senior championship final of 1980 by Walterstown.

In 1971 the club opened their new grounds, Ludlow Park. Tommy Ludlow had donated the land in the 1960’s free of charge. In the early 80’s a pavilion was built (doubling as dressing rooms) and in the 90’s completely refurbished turning the grounds into one of the finest in the county.

The Clubhouse was officialy opened in 1995 and to mark the occasion Meath played Louth in a challenge match with Syddan’s Philip Duff making an appearance for the Royal county.

Following the devastating Senior championship defeat in 1980, many wondered if they had seen the end of the great Syddan teams. However, in 1982 the club bounced back and won the junior B championship, but it was to be a decade later before the club would taste championship success again when they overcame Moynalvey in the Junior C decider of 1992. Two years later Syddan captured the Div. 3 A league title and in 1998 also claimed the B league title. However, 1999 was to be the clubs most memorable (since Tommy Farrelly held aloft the Keegan Cup in 1956) when the Intermediate team battled back from a seven point half-time defecit to overcome St. Pats and win the Intermediate Championship final and return to the Senior ranks.

For further information contact Michael Carolan, Secretary and P.R.O. Syddan G.F.C.